Pawliday Love

Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

CHELSEA

I wake to an unfamiliar alarm, and it takes me a few seconds to realize what’s wrong with the sound. It’s not my alarm clock…because I’m not in my bed. I panic at the thought of being late opening my shop.

“I still don’t know what kind of monster starts every day at four a.m.” Tony reaches over my shoulder to slap the clock in front of me.

“The kind of monster that owns a coffee shop.” I let out a relieved laugh at the bright green numbers staring me in the face before rolling over to look at Tony. “You set your alarm for me?”

“Of course. I know you have a business to run.” His eyes pop open as I gasp when his morning wood touches my clit.

I fell into a sex coma after my second orgasm last night…even though we didn’t have sex. I’ve never come twice in one night before. Since my late husband thought it was a turn off when I got too wet, I was lucky if I got off at all before he finished.

Being with someone as enthusiastic about my pleasure as Tony was last night is a whole new experience, but I’m not sure where we go from here. It’s not like either of us have time for a relationship. I work seven days a week and he’s starting a new business. Which I know from experience will take all of his time if he wants it to be a success.

“Please don’t run away,” he repeats his words from last night as he pushes his hips forward, teasing me with his hard-on. “You don’t have a thirty-minute commute today.”

“That’s true,” I agree as my inner voice quiets and my lust takes over. “I don’t have to run…yet.”

“Tell me what you want,” he says as he pushes his hips forward again.

“I doubt thirty minutes is enough time for that .” He groans in disappointment when I climb out of bed until I say, “But you can wash my back in the shower.”

Tracey bounces into the coffee shop a couple of hours later with my father-in-law trailing behind her. When I agreed to meet with Tony yesterday, I called my in-laws to see if Tracey could stay with them after the game. I may be raising Tracey alone, but Robert and Audrey are always there to help me any time I ask.

“How was your meeting?” Robert asks as he sips his coffee.

“I think TG’s will be good for Thorngrove,” I answer honestly. “It will give the college kids somewhere to party without leaving town and driving back wasted.”

“That’s exactly my take,” he says. “He seems to have a good plan to be so young.”

“He can’t be that young if he’s the McCraes’ nephew,” I laugh out, assuming that Tony is around my age since his uncle is the same age as Robert.

“Great nephew,” Robert corrects me. “His mother is their niece. I think Milton told me he’s twenty-three.”

Twenty-three?! I robbed the damn cradle.

“That’s surprising.” I try to keep the shame from my voice as I refill Robert’s coffee cup. “He seems so…mature.”

“He’s a good egg. Wish more kids were like him,” Robert says before telling Tracey that he’ll see her at the Christmas parade tonight and walking out.

Tony

I step outside just as the sheriff’s department starts blocking off Main Street for the Christmas parade. When I spot Chelsea setting up chairs in front of her shop, I jog over and offer to help.

Chelsea’s shoulders tense at the sound of my voice and before she even turns to face me, I know she’s running. She’s polite as she asks me to help bring out the rest of the chairs and I nod, already missing the carefree woman I got a glimpse of last night.

She leads me up a flight of stairs to the storage space above her shop and my eyes instantly zero in of the stools she mentioned last night. When Chelsea notices, she tells me I’m welcome to take them if I think they’ll work at TG’s.

“They’re perfect!” I bend to kiss her in my excitement, and she puts her hand on my chest to stop me. Here it comes .

“Tony, we can’t .” Her voice cracks like she has to force the words out. “I didn’t know how young you were.”

“We’re both adults, Hellsy .” I use the nickname jokingly, ignoring her pointed glare.

“We’re at different stages in life…” She waves her between us as lists all the reasons she’s used to convince herself to run away. “Neither of us have time for… this. ”

“That may all be true, but it doesn't change how we feel,” I tell her. “I want you like I’ve never wanted another person in my life.”

Her glare softens as I step toward her. She doesn’t back away, but I can see the war she’s fighting in her head.

“Tell me what you want,” I plead as I lift my hand to her face.

“I want you to be my friend. ” Her voice cracks again, letting me know that’s not what she really wants. But it’s all she’s ready for right now.

When I nod hesitantly, she lets out a heavy sigh as she raises her hand to cover mine, holding it to her face as she leans into my touch before turning her head to kiss my palm and stepping back.

I sit with Chelsea’s family and friends to watch the parade and seeing how she takes care of everyone around her with a smile on her face makes me want her even more. I want to be the one to take care of her . If being her “friend” is the only way to do that, I’ll be the best damn friend she’s ever had.

After hauling the last of the chairs upstairs, I hear a mewling sound coming from the ally out back. I push open the back door to see the white tipped tail of a kitten sticking up as it roots around under the edge of the dumpster.

“Are you hungry, little guy?” I coo as I lift the kitten, cradling him to my chest as I walk back inside.

“Thank you for your help tonight,” Chelsea says as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, making the kitten jump. “Awww…where did he come from?” She lowers her voice as she scratches the kitten behind the ears.

“He was out back. I didn’t see a momma cat,” I tell her. “I think I’m going to keep him.”

“You’re just a big softy, bartender Tony,” Chelsea says teasingly. “What are you going to name him?”

I notice the splotchy shape of the black spots on his dingy white fur.

“I found him after the Christmas parade and his spots look like…”

“ Mistletoe ,” Chelsea and I say at the same time.